# @cnntravel on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DP9LW9sjsB3
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/35816120-cnntravel-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/4f8d8ee889.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-10-18T15:38:37.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** CNN Travel (@CNNTravel) — https://gondola.cc/CNNTravel

## Caption

An image of a rare hyena standing in front of an abandoned building in a former diamond mining town in Namibia has won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 award.

Shot by South African photographer Wim van den Heever in the town of Kolmanskop, "Ghost Town Visitor" is the product of 10 years' work using camera trap technology, according to a statement from the organizers on Tuesday.

The photograph, which was one of 60,636 entries, shows a brown hyena – a member of the rarest hyena species in the world.

Nocturnal and largely solitary, brown hyenas are rarely seen, so van den Heever started to use a camera trap after noticing their tracks in the area.

Kathy Moran, chair of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year jury, said that the image showed how wildlife had repopulated a town abandoned by humans.

"How fitting that this photograph was made in a ghost town," she said in the statement.

Swipe to see the winners of different categories, and tap the link in our bio to read more. 
#CallToEarth

📸: Wim van den Heever; Dennis Stogsdill; Simone Baumeister; Georgina Steytler; Audun Rikardsen; Quentin Martinez; Shane Gross; Ralph Pace; Fernando Faciole; Jamie Smart

## Stats

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- **Likes:** 1,774
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- **Comments:** 12

## Tags

calltoearth

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